Bullet just misses woman on Winston-Salem bus

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — A bullet narrowly missed a female passenger Monday on a Winston-Salem Transit Authority Trans-AID bus when it was hit by a gunshot in the 1400 block of Woods Road, authorities said.

A driver and three passengers were on the bus when the shot was fired in the city’s northwestern section, Winston-Salem police said. There were no injuries, but the bullet shattered a window on the bus’ right front side.

A woman was sitting in the seat next the window when the bullet struck the bus, said Art Barnes, WSTA’s director.

“It takes a disturbed person to do something like that,” Barnes said of the shooter. “I was horrified.”

Barnes declined to identify the passenger who was nearly hit by the bullet or the driver. The driver is expected to be driving the bus today, Barnes said.

BB’s occasionally have been fired at city buses, Barnes said. This is the first time that someone fired a bullet at a city bus, he said.

The transit authority operates its Trans-AID service for elderly and disabled people. Trans-AID buses annually make 170,000 trips throughout the city, Barnes said.

Police are investigating the incident. Anyone with information can call Winston-Salem police at (336) 773-7700 or Crime Stoppers at (336) 727-2800.